Check The Compliant Products List: Vests Sold at Florida Gun Shows as NIJ-Compliant Body Armor May Not Be What They Seem

By Becky Lewis

The words “Buyer Beware!” (https://www.justnet.org/pdf/00-BA-label-Brochure.pdf) took on an entirely new level of meaning on Oct. 21, 2013 when the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Orlando Regional Operations Center announced that three men have been arrested and charged with one count each of organized scheme to defraud and one count of counterfeiting body armor.

Scott Anderson, 57; Scott Williams, 51; and Arami Rodriguez, 36, all of Ocoee, allegedly produced counterfeit body armor bearing labels from the well-known manufacturers Point Blank, Protective Apparel Corporation of America (PACA), American Body Armor (ABA), Gall’s, First Choice and OM Tactical via a company known as Alpha Sports. Alpha Sports, owned by Anderson, also sold armor purporting to be from Full Dragon Armor of Coloma, Mich., which is a fictitious company, according to an FDLE press release.

An agent involved in the investigation stated in an interview with NLECTC staff on Wednesday, Oct. 23, that the counterfeit labels included the NIJ Compliance statement, some for NIJ Standard 0101.04 and some for NIJ Standard 0101.06. It appeared the vests used fictitious model designations, rather than model designations listed on the Compliant Products List. [link to Compliant Products List https://www.justnet.org/other/ballistic_cpl.html] Labels on the Full Dragon Armor also included the NIJ Compliance statement, the agent said.

The investigation began after an individual purchased armor purportedly produced by Point Blank in August 2013 at a gun show in West Palm Beach. He brought the armor to the attention of Point Blank, which in turned contacted FDLE. The FDLE agent said in the Oct. 23 interview that all armor tested by Point Blank in its laboratory, using tests from the 0101.06 testing protocol, failed.

Individuals who believe they may have purchased counterfeit body armor at a gun show or elsewhere in Florida anytime within the past several years should contact the manufacturers at the information given below:

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